Get to know Jessie Kowalski, S.A.'s 'Big Brother' gal

By Jeanne Jakle :
August 6, 2013
: Updated: August 8, 2013 11:43am

Jessie Kowalski from San Antonio, Texas, center, won the women's dance contest held at Coca-Cola beach behind the Radisson Resort on South Padre Island, Texas, Tuesday, March 15, 2005. This was the second day of National Lampoon's Greek Games.

Jessie Kowalski, the “Big Brother” contestant from San Antonio, has flown under the radar for weeks on the CBS reality show — especially compared to controversial house guest Aaryn Gries.

This week, however, Kowalski stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight. She became both a target of name-calling and a nominee for Thursday's live eviction. On Wednesday's episode (7 p.m. on CBS), viewers will learn whether she has managed to win the veto competition and take herself off the block.

“I would say the whole manipulating aspect is really hard for Jessie,” she said. “She's such an honest, straightforward person.”

Kowalski lived with Ashe, a bartender at Joe's Crab Shack, before leaving San Antonio for “Big Brother.”

“She's so loyal and a huge animal lover,” Ashe said. “She always talks about her dog on the show; he's like her son.”

Stines is caring for Ari, whom she described as “a cross between a Chihuahua and wiener dog,” at her home in Fannett while her daughter continues to play the “Big Brother” game.

“Jessie's single, so he's her constant companion,” she said.

Stines rarely saw “Big Brother” before but now watches it religiously, both on TV and on the 24-hour live feeds online. She said it's “unsettling” seeing her daughter get verbally attacked by fellow housemates such as Amanda Zuckerman, who went after Kowalski on Sunday for “scheming” to get her out of the house.

Zuckerman also accused Kowalski of “boyfriend-stealing,” which made Ashe laugh.

“Jessie has never had to steal anyone's boyfriend,” she said. “Jessie is a very friendly and affectionate person, so people might take that in the wrong way.”

Stines said she's proud of how her daughter stood up for herself on the show.

“She's a tough little fighter,” she said. “Nothing has been laid out on a red carpet for Jessie.”

Kowalski attended TMI on a four-year merit scholarship, moving back to San Antonio by herself from Bandera County, where her family was living.

“That was a brave thing for a 14-year-old to do,” Stines said.

She also worked as a waitress in Austin at The Flying Saucer and other places while getting a degree in sociology and communications from UT. Following college, she worked in sales in Dallas; currently, she's unemployed.

Ashe said she hopes that won't last, calling the show “a gateway to other opportunities” for her friend.

“I could see her being a host for 'E! News' someday,” she said.

Both she and Stines said Kowalski is smart enough to walk out of “Big Brother” with the $500,000 grand prize.

Most important to her mom, however, is how she presents herself to the world.

“After Sept. 18, they're all going to go back to the real world,” she said. “What's important to me is that Jessie comes out favorably, that people have a positive impression of her.”